The beach improvements at Grose Park have taken longer than expected. Jeffrey Cunningham|Mlive

CHESTER TOWNSHIP -- Snow fencing still surrounds much of the beach at Ottawa County's Grose Park in Chester Township. The county isn't expecting snow anytime soon - the fence is there to keep park-goers from using the beach until several improvements to the waterfront have been completed.

"We had hoped to have the project completed by Memorial Day, but the high lake levels prevented the concrete from being poured," said Curt TerHaar, Ottawa County Parks planner.

Over the last few years, according to TerHaar, the Parks Department has completed several projects to try to stabilize the shoreline and swimming beach located on the north shore of Crockery Lake. Those efforts didn't work as planned. This spring contractors laid concrete near the beach to stop the erosion and placed large rip-rap boulders in other areas to stabilize the shoreline. Due to the high lake levels, construction crews had to wait for the water to recede from the beach before the work could begin, which delayed the opening of the beach. "We believe that these efforts will stop the water from eroding the beach," TerHaar said.

The Parks Department doesn't record the number of visitors using the park, but TerHaar said, as the beach is the only beach in the area, it is heavily used. There are two picnic shelters along with trails, a fishing dock, playground, and other amenities.

The work is expected to be completed in the next 10 days, TerHaar said.

The current shoreline improvements cost $31,000 and are being paid for out of the Park's Department's general fund.